Instructional materials are a key means to achieving the goals of science education—an enterprise that yields unique and worthwhile benefits to individuals and society. As states and districts move forward with adoption and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) or work on improving their instruction to align with A Framework for K–12 Science Education (the Framework), instructional materials that align with this new vision for science education have emerged as one of the key mechanisms for creating high-quality learning experiences for students.

In response to the need for more coordination across the ongoing efforts to support the design and implementation of instructional materials for science education, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a public workshop in June 2017. The workshop focused on the development of instructional materials that reflect the principles of the Framework and the NGSS, and brought together experts involved with developing tools for selection and design of instructional materials as well as curriculum developers and researchers who are designing materials aligned with NGSS. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Sponsors: Carnegie Corporation of New York; Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation; and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Presidents Fund

Michael Lach (Chair), University of ChicagoDiane J. Briars, National Council of Teachers of MathematicsElizabeth A. Davis, University of MichiganDaniel C. Edelson, Biological Sciences Curriculum StudySusan Gomez-Zwiep, California State University, Long BeachTiffany Neill, Oklahoma State Department of EducationCynthia Passmore, University of California-DavisBrian J. Reiser, Northwestern UniversityLeon Walls, University of Vermont